Customer Desires vs. Retailer Capabilities
Overview
A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Accenture and hybris software reveals a disconnect between what consumers want from an omni-channel retailer and the omni-channel capabilities that retailers are providing today.
Omni-channel retail is fast becoming the norm. Consumers have heightened shopping expectations in the era of omni-channel. Despite massive investments in people, process and technology, retailers are struggling to even come close to meeting the omni-channel expectations of their customers.
This comprehensive study from Forrester Consulting offers a view of the omni-channel landscape from both consumer and retailer perspectives. It also provides invaluable insights for retailers to move past common barriers as they invest in omni-channel initiatives.
Background
In November 2013, Accenture and hybris software, an SAP company, commissioned Forrester Consulting to identify the challenges and obstacles that middle- and large-market multi-channel retailers face when deploying a successful omni-channel commerce strategy.
The study was designed to highlight disconnects between retailer omni-channel tactics and consumer requirements; it was also designed to help retailers build a deeper understanding of the business case and framework for investing in omni-channel initiatives.
The study involved conducting in-depth surveys with 256 US and European retail and manufacturing decision-makers involved in digital commerce initiatives and 1,503 multi-channel shopper.
Key Findings
Forrester’s study yielded four key findings:
Technology investment is critical to enabling exemplary omni-channel customer experience.
As consumers expect retailers to provide consistent and unparalleled service across all touchpoints, retailers must adopt new technologies that enable this.
Omni-channel customer experience is now a brand differentiator.
Today, many retailers and branded manufacturers see omni-channel maturity as a key brand differentiator, with increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and brand perception highlighted as the top benefits.
Many retailers have reached a false state of omni-channel comfort.
With many retailers having invested in some level of omni-channel capabilities, it may seem they are far along in their omni-channel initiatives. Yet customer expectations are constantly increasing. Features that only yesterday seemed game-changing are rapidly becoming the commonplace.
New titles alone won’t cut it — retailers must abolish siloed channel strategies altogether.
Regardless of who is ultimately responsible for omni-channel, a successful strategy requires more than just deep cross-functional alignment. It requires a new way of thinking focused on the customer, not on legacy channel structures.
Many retailers have reached a false state of omni-channel comfort.
With many retailers having invested in some level of omni-channel capabilities, it may seem they are far along in their omni-channel initiatives. Yet customer expectations are constantly increasing. Features that only yesterday seemed game-changing are rapidly becoming the commonplace.
New titles alone won’t cut it — retailers must abolish siloed channel strategies altogether.
Regardless of who is ultimately responsible for omni-channel, a successful strategy requires more than just deep cross-functional alignment. It requires a new way of thinking focused on the customer, not on legacy channel structures.
Omni-Channel
The Accenture Omni-channel Commerce Solution is a unique end-to-end solution, blending industry and technology know-how to help drive revenue and optimize omni-channel commerce operations.
Download PDF [PDF, 1.75 MB]
To succeed in today’s omni-channel environment requires a new organizational blueprint and a renewed focus on the customer.
Download PDF [PDF, 962 KB]
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